You likely know how wonderful breast feeding can be for your baby. It aids him or her in fighting disease as well as reducing health risks such as asthma, ear infection, SIDS or obesity. It is even connected to your own physical health! If you breastfeed, your chances of breast and ovarian cancer are reduced. But let’s talk about something you may not have considered: your child’s oral health.

Your baby is born with their all of their primary teeth below the gumline. Recent studies have reported that babies who were solely breastfed in the first six months of their life were less expected to have teeth alignment issues than anyone who was breastfed for less time. Of course, there are other considerations, such as pacifier use, thumb sucking and genetics, but it helps to know that whether you breastfeed makes such a difference!

In addition, breastfeeding can decrease your baby’s risk of baby bottle tooth decay. This condition is named such because of the tendency for parents to put their little ones to bed with sugary drinks, milk or formula. Your child can still obtain cavities from breastfeeding, as breast milk has sugar. You can prevent this occurrence by cleaning your child’s gums with a fresh, wet washcloth or wipe every day. As soon as the little teeth appear above the gumline, you’ll want to brush them with water twice a day

Do you want to learn more about caring for your child’s oral health? One thing you can do is bring your baby into Mountainland Pediatric Dental & Orthodontics in Lehi, Utah for a checkup as soon as he or she either gets their first tooth or turns one year old. Dr. Matt Swan and our friendly staff are excited to meet you and your child. Give us a call at 801-766-2111.